Bill-file.



Patented Mar. I2, I90! C. C. BOYKIN.

BILL FILE (Application filed July 18, 1900.) (N 0 M 0 d a I.)

= NlTED CHRISTOPHER O. BOYKIN, OF LAMBERTS POINT, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO BOYKIN-ROPER SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

BILL-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,503, dated March 12, 1901..

Application filed July 13, 1900. Serial No. 23,518. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER O. BOY KIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lamberts Point, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful File, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a file for holding papers of all kinds, but specially useful in to preserving papers that have to be frequently referred to, such as physicians prescriptions and the like; and the object of the same is to provide a file having a simple construction and efiective operation and permitting an easy and quick reference to a large number of papers that may be disposed thereon as wellas afiording convenience in access to a small number of papers held thereby and which is accomplished by having the filingco rod swing back on a pivot and construct that part of the. rod near its fulcrum in the form of an arc of a circle, with the pivoted portion of the rod as a center for the arcuate portion, so that the 'rod may freely pass through the 2 5 holes in the papers resting on the base without disturbing the same as the rod swings back on its pivot, and thereby facilitate reference to the papers and preserve them from injury by constant handling.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed. 1

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a file embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the improved file, showing the filing-rod thrown over part way and a comparatively small portion of the bulk of papers raised and thrown over with the rod. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the file on an enlarged scale, showing the filing-rod thrown completely over and which will be the position thereof when the preponderance of papers is 5 thereon.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a base of any suitable material and dimensions and has fixed on the upper surface thereof at the head end a transversely-extending block or upward projection 2 with shouldered end extensions 3 for a purpose which will be hereinafter set forth, and in the base at opposite ends of the block or projection longitudinal slots 4, which have their inner walls, respectively, flush with the ends of the block. Fulcru med on the inner upper corner of the block or projection 2 is a filing-rod 5, comprising a horizontal member 6, movably held in clips 7, secured to the said block or projection, and from the opposite terminations of the said member the rod continues into two arms 8, each of which is first bent in the arc of a circle, as at 9, and gradually merging into a long convex sweep, the free ends of the arms being reversely curved for convenience in applying the papers thereto and to form seats for devices which will now be set forth. In the clips 7 the horizontal ful- 7o crum member 10 of a retaining-rod 11 is also movably mounted, and said rod comprises a pair of resilient arms 12, having right-angular horizontally-disposed terminals 13 with outwardly-opening end hooks 14, which normally bear on the seats on the free ends of the arms 8 of the filing-rod. The retainingrod is employed, as will be understood, to prevent accidental disengagement of the papers from the arms 8, and to release the arms 12 they are drawn together to disengage the hooks l hand the retaining-rod,as an entirety, thrown back, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the arms 8 are thrown back their full extent, as shown by Fig. 3, the arms 12 clear the upper surface of the block or projection 2, and in the event that the weight and strain are excessive when the said arms 8 are fully thrown over the arms 12 will be at times sustained and reinforced by the shouldered extensions 3.

On the outer side of the block or projection 2 a gravitating support 15 is pivotally mounted, the greater portion of the said device freely extending over and parallel with 5 the side of the block. The outer end of the support is formed with a slot 16, an upstanding rest 17, and an operating-finger 18. The purpose of this support is to permit the filing-rod and its contents to be held at a zoo certain elevation when the number of papers thereon is smaller than that of the similar articles resting on the base, and under such proportions the papers on the arms of the rod do not have a tendency to fall or slip back toward those on the said base, because they can be pushed close to the free ends of said arms. Under these conditions the one arm of the retaining-rod bears on the upper edge of the rest 17, as shown by Fig. 2, and the point of bearing of the arm on the rest will be located so near the fulcrum of the support that there will be no tendency of the latter to accidentally lower. When in the position shown by Fig. 2, the arms of the filing-rod have a downward inclination toward the base of the device, and it is obvious that if the preponderance in the number of papers carried by the file be brought up on the said arms crowding and backward slipping would result, and hence it is necessary to give the arms of the filing-rod a greater overthrow, which is accomplished by pressing downward on the operating-finger 18 to tilt the inner portion of the support upward and draw the rest outward from under the arm of the retainer and until the slot 16 comes under the latter, when the arms of the filingrod will be free to fall and assume the position shown by Fig. 3. In this latter position of the arms of the filing-rod the greater portion of the weight of the papers thereon will be directed toward the outer or free ends of the same and any tendency toward backward slip of the papers is obstructed.

The adjustable capabilities of the filingrod, as just explained, in addition to the pivotal action of the same, contribute to the production of a highly-efficient file and whereon the papers will be preserved with the convenience afforded in readily and quickly referring to the same. In filing the papers on the filing-rod holes are punched or cut therein a distance apart equal to that of the arms of said filing-rod and are then disposed on the said arms, as shown. To clear the arms of the filing-rod, the hooks 14 are disengaged in the manner heretofore set forth and afterward reattached, and when the arms 8 are swung over the end of the base the curved form of the same permits them to slide through the papers on the said base without disturbing the papers in the least, and simultaneously with the movement of the arms a number of the papers may be manually raised and thrown over. The slots in the base also permit the curved or arcuate portions of the arms, near the pivotal point thereof, to move down below the plane of the upper surface of the said base in order to dispose the arms in substantially erect position for application of the papers thereto. The slots in the base also relieve the arcuate portions of the arms 8 from any frictional interference and the freedom of action of the arms in moving through the papers is unretarded. When the arms are thrown back over the base in normal position, the papers will be carried therewith and disposed in regular order without manu al arrangement, and to protect the uppermost paper and also to assist in the support of the same when thrown over from the base a rather stiff cover 18 is employed and preferably formed of paper.

The size and shape of the base may be varied at will, as well as. the length and distance apart of the filing-rod arms, and, furthermore, changes in the details of construction and arrangement may be resorted to,without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a file, the combination of abase, a filin g-rod pivoted thereon and comprising a pair of arms having arcuate portions adjacent the pivotal point of the same with a fixed plane of rotation, and means for supporting the arms at different elevations when thrown over the base.

2. In a file, the combination of a base with slots formed therein, and a filing-rod pivoted thereon and comprising a pair of arms having arcuate portions adjacent the pivotal point of the same and movable in the said slots.

3. A file comprising a base with slots formed therein, and a filing-rod pivotally mounted on the base and having a pair of arms with outer unconnected free ends and inner arcuate portions adjacent the pivotal point of the same, the said arms and arcuate portions having a fixed plane of swinging movement and the arcuate portions movable in the slots of the base.

4. A file comprising a base, a filing-rod pivotally mounted thereon and having a pair of arms with outer unconnected free extremities, and a retaining device also pivotally mounted and movable with the said rod and having a pair of yielding arms formed with seats at their free ends to removably engage the said free extremities of the rod-arms.

5. A file comprising a base, a filing-rod pivotally mounted thereon and composed of a pair of arms with outer unconnected free ends and inner arcuate portions adjacent the pivotal point of the same with a fixed plane of rotation, and a yielding retaining device also pivotally connected to the base and having two arms with outer angular extremities terminating in outturned hooks to removably engage the free ends of the filing-rod arms, the said retaining device being structurally independent of the filing-rod.

6. A file comprising a base with an elevated device thereon,a filing-rod having correspondingly-constructed members pivoted to said elevated device, the rod being bodily movable on its fulcrum and the members having arcuate portions near the pivotal point thereof, and means for holding the rod when thrown over from the base at different elevations.

7. A file comprising a base with an elevated device thereon, a filing-rod having parallel arms pivoted to said device, a retainer also pivoted to the said device and having arms with angular terminals to removably engage the arms of the filing-rod, and means for supfrom, and an adjustable support for varying porting the filing rod and retainer when the degree of elevation of the rod when overthrown over from the base. thrown.

8. A file oomprisingabase, a filing-rod piv- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 5 otally mounted thereon to swing over theremy own I have hereto affixed my signature in [5 from, and means for varying the elevation of the presence of two witnesses.

sufiport of the rod when overthrown from the CHRISTOPHER G. BOYKIN. base. Witnesses:

9. A file comprising a base, a filing-rod piv- W. A. ROSS,

IO otally mounted thereon to swing over there- S. S. LAMBETH, Jr. 

